New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 09/15/2019

Mission Statement: ECO-Vrindaban promotes cow protection, local agriculture, and above all, loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON New Vrindaban’s Founder-Acharya.

Participating Directors: Anuttama, Chaitanya Mangala, Jamuna Jivani (board secretary), Makara (chair), Olivia (partial), Ranaka, and Vraja.

Participating Advisors: Allegra, Kripamaya (partial attendance).

1. Ranaka’s Monthly Report

Lalita Gopi (Temple Barn):

• There are eight cows being milked: Subhadra, Surabhi, Cintamani, Parijata, Sita, Vamsika, Jaya Radhe, and Usha.
• 23 gal of milk are produced daily.
• 20 gal of yogurt and 30 lb of butter are produced weekly.
• There are five calves (three males and two heifers): Prahlada, Satyabhama, Puspavati, Narada, and Dhruva.
• Lalita is repairing some fence and painting in the back of the barn pasture.
• Gaurangi was moved to the Valley Barn for breeding with Dharma, and Lakshmi was moved from his space.
• Sriya is starting to bag up at Nandagram.

Ray (General Farm Hand):

• Cleaned out the winter dung from the pasture.
• Rotovated the Valley high tunnels twice, bringing up more rocks to remove and place on the road behind the tunnels.
• Cut, baled, and stacked 95 second-cutting bales in the barns in addition to the 681 round bales of hay from last report. He was assisted by Daniel and Caitanya Bhagavat. Total hay baled and stored in Valley Barn is now 492 first-cutting and 122 second-cutting 800 lb round bales. Total hay baled and stacked in Nandagram barn is 162 bales giving us a grand total of 776 bales produced to date for 2019.
• Brush-hogged Bahulaban pastures.
• Repaired tractor and hay wagon tires along with the hay-baler string cutter.
• Moved five dump trailer loads of topsoil from the RVC lagoon area and four loads of manure from the Temple Barn to repair the construction area around the new Tulasi greenhouse next to the RVC temple.

Caitanya Bhagavat (Cow Care):

• Daily cow care at Nandagram and Bahulaban, included:
• monitoring the herd numbers for the 16 Nandagram cows (five females, 10 males, and one bull) and the 26 Bahulaban cows (17 females and nine males).
• Feeding hay to supplement the pasture of the Bahulaban cows as needed.
• facilitating veterinarian visits.
• Checked and maintained fence lines at Nandagram and Bahulaban.
• Mowed and weed-whacked at Nandagram and Valley Barn.
• With the assistance of Daniel, completed the new high-tensile fence at the milking barn pasture.
• Cleaned the dung out from the Nandagram barn for the winter.
• Stocked the Nandagram feeding area barn with hay for the winter.
• Vet check and special care for Madhu who has a skin issue
• Assisted in hay-making operation by raking hay and moving bales from the field and stacking in the Valley and Nandagram Barns.

Suchandra (Gardens):

Community Garden

• Watering, deadheading, weeding, and collecting produce and flowers
• Trimmed tomato plants
• Had a problem with deer this year. Suchandra made as many repairs to the fence as possible, but they were also getting in through the front gate when it was not latched properly. However, a good amount of produce was still able to be harvested.
• Had issues with water pressure in irrigation system

Teaching Garden

• Mowed and weeded weekly
• Laid mulch in walkways and beds to keep weeds away and make garden look nice.
• Produce and flower totals for the month of August for both gardens:
  • Green beans: 55.15 lb
  • Roma tomatoes: 44 lb
  • Heirloom tomatoes: 12 lb
  • Cherry tomatoes: 4.5 lb
  • Cucumbers: 141 lb
  • Green peppers: 11 lb
  • Jalapenos: 5.5 pounds
  • Zinnias: 260
  • Dahlias: 50
  • Sm. Marigolds: 4,200
  • Lg. Marigolds: 4,950

Vidya (Vidya’s Garden):

• Planted the high tunnel:
  • carnations
  • tube roses
• Elena started the marigolds in Ranaka’s greenhouse for planting in the tunnels
• Hundreds of sunflowers were grown and picked and are being used in vases along with zinnias for decorating Krishna and Srila Prabhupada at his Palace.
• All the Temple’s marigold needs are being provided by the gardens
• Constructed a system of chicken wire and ground cloth along with a fence around the high tunnel to keep out unwanted animals.
• Angie took the lead on preparing the high tunnels for planting
• Brooklyn and Joseph have been hired on to work with Angie.
• Vidya’s Garden harvest totals for the Month of August 2019:
  • Large marigolds: 7,372
  • Small marigold: 8,839
  • Gladiolas: 20
  • Green beans: 2 lb
  • Roma tomatoes: 35 lb
  • Tomatoes: 405 lb
  • Cherry tomatoes: 48 lb
  • Peppers: 16 lb
  • Bitter melon: 237 lb
  • Large sunflowers: 202
  • Small sunflowers: 48
  • Carnations: 30
  • Globes: 65
  • Zinnias: 353
  • Asters: 408
  • Basil: 16 bunches
  • Rosemary: 3 bunches
  • Sage: 3 bunches
  • Cilantro: 3 bunches
  • Loki: 10 lb

Lila (Nandagram Garden):

• Watered and removed groundcover and mulch in preparation for fall manure spreading
• Harvested and delivered to the temple kitchen during the month of August (all quantities reported in pounds):
  • Zucchini: 40.5
  • Summer Squash: 1.5
  • Apple: 71
  • Green Beans: 52
  • Cherry Tomatoes: 48
  • Hot Peppers: 9.5
  • Roma Tomatoes: 202.5
  • Large Tomatoes: 230.75
  • Butternut Squash: 25.25

Ranaka (General Manager):

• The two new valley high tunnels have both been roto-tilled. Angie is leading the effort to prepare the valley high tunnels by rock removal, bed preparation, and fencing. Tripada will bring skid-steer from Prabhupada’s Palace to help move composted manure into the tunnels for bed formation.
• Ranaka began working on the Bahulaban apartment project that was approved a year ago. He has been in contact with Tejo and Warren Harkness to plan and install the septic system.
• With no changes, the herd count remains at 66.

2. Farm Conference Update

Prior to the conference, Jamuna Jivani will act as the ECO-V delegate and travel to Gita Nagari for the focus group with the Amish. Ranaka will set up a time for a meeting with Syamsundar during the weekend of the conference. Kalakantha will send out the conference schedule.

3. Internal Funding Request: Up to $4K for Gifts & Plaques for November Meetings

WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to acknowledge the dedication of key community members, as well as offer a token of appreciation to the INV and ECO-V staff and volunteers.

RESOLVED: The Board approves up to $4,000 as a budget for plaques and gifts to distribute during the November meeting weekend.

4. Bahulaban Apartment Update

Ranaka will begin putting in the septic system and electricity at the Bahulaban barn. The subcommittee will work on a design for the apartments to propose to the board.

5. ECO-V Properties Available For Sale

WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wants to make available for sale certain properties in the New Vrindaban village.

RESOLVED: The Board approves the two properties connected to the 219 Coffield Lane parcel be made available for sale for $25K each. The standard covenants and restrictions associated with ECO-V property sales will apply. ECO-V will publicly post the properties, take offers from applicants, and make selections based on the responses it receives.

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